Going Bananas

It was the very first thing I ever baked properly, and turns out wonderful every time I make it - banana bread! This recipe was so moist and banana-y (that should be a word) It made my house smell amazing. Jamie and I enjoyed a couple (or two or three...) slices, then I wrapped individual slices and stored them in the freezer for future quick breakfasts.



Banana Banana Bread
from Allrecipes

Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 1 Hour 5 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour 20 Minutes Yields: 12 servings

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/3 cups mashed overripe
bananas
I added 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts & 1 tsp vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Easy & Quick Baked Pasta Dish

I was sort of in a hurry, had some chicken in the fridge,and feeling uninspired, I quickly checked out Food Network's site. One of the dishes that came up was Giada's Chicken and Pastina. It's not really, the small tiny pastina you use in soup, but more of a baked dish with small noodles. I made a few changes, but I thought the dish was just OK - wasn't impressive, but was easy to throw together.



Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina
from Giada De Laurentiis

1 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta) I used elbow pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes) I used 1 cup of chicken breast
1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
1 clove garlic, minced I added 2 cloves
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice I used a 28 oz can of diced tomatoes, and pulsed a couple of times in a food processor
1 cup shredded mozzarella I used 1.5 cups
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley And I added 1.5 tbsp of dried Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan I used 1/2 cup
1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish I sprayed the baking dish with extra virgin olive oil spray

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more.

Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the mixture in a buttered 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish.

In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Don't Cha Want An Enchilada?

I love Mexican food, but not the really greasy kind that you feel really bad about eating afterwards. (well, I guess once in a while it's ok...) But while browsing for enchilada recipes, I came across this one on Annie's blog. It looked delicious and a bit different than the other ones I have seen. It was great, served with some tortilla chips and some salsa on the side - can't wait for the leftovers today!



Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
from Annie's Eats

I cut the recipe in half to make about 5 enchiladas

Ingredients:
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts I slowly simmered 3 chicken breasts in chicken stock, flavored with some onion powder, smashed garlic cloves and whole peppercorns for about 30 minutes
8 oz. reduced fat sour cream
8 oz. Ranch salad dressing
flour tortillas (10-15) - we like Azteca, packs of 10
jar of salsa I made my own, I used a 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes, a few sprigs of fresh, roughly chopped cilantro, 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, 2 cloves minced garlic, salt and pepper to taste, 1/4 cup diced onion, 2 tbsp diced canned jalapeno peppers
shredded Mexican cheese (I usually use close to 4 cups, I love cheese!)

Directions:
Cook chicken breasts by preferred cooking method until cooked through. Set aside to cool a bit.

While chicken is cooling, mix up the sauce. In a large mixing bowl, combine half of the sour cream and half of the Ranch dressing. In a small bowl, combine the rest of the sour cream and Ranch dressing. Stir both until well combined. Shred or chop the cooked chicken and add to the large mixing bowl. Mix well with sauce.

Preheat the oven to 375°. Grease a 9 x 13″ pan (and possibly another, smaller pan if needed). Take one tortilla and top with a little less than 1 tbsp. of the sauce from the small bowl. Spread over the tortilla in an even layer. Add some of the chicken mixture to the center of the tortilla.

Top with salsa to taste. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, to taste. Roll up tortilla and place, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining ingredients (usually makes 10-15 enchiladas).

Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes (30 for a crispier tortilla). Allow to cool a few minutes before serving. I covered the pan with foil, removed the foil with 5 minutes left, and topped with a little more cheese.

Oreos...But No Dunking Allowed!

Cheesecake, or should I say baking altogether is a nemesis of mine. I can make no-bake cheesecakes, but why not the real thing? I have tried making a baked cheesecake from scratch 4 times now....either resulting in it being burnt to the bottom of the pan, the crust falling off, not cooked through....and everything in between. It wasn't pretty...and this one isn't exactly either.

I saw this cheesecake on BakingBlonde's blog, and it looked amazing, different and very challenging (for me). I paid meticulous attention to every instruction...except for "Watch carefully and do not over bake." In my defense, I was also making two other dishes for dinner, and I looked at the cheesecake at the 44 minute mark (6 minutes before the minimum time). It was dark, especially around the edges, but the the inside was perfect, as well as the crust stayed together and didn't burn.

Lesson learned - check on your baked goods often, don't rely on timers. Everyone's oven bakes differently!



Oreo Cheesecake
from Baking Blonde's Weblog

2 cups Oreo Cookie crumbs
3 TBS butter, melted
3 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz.) Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 TBS flour
3 large eggs
1 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
15 Oreo Cookies, quartered
Oreo cookies for garnish if desired.

Preheat oven to 300° F. Grease 9-inch springform pan. Fill an oven safe cake pan (I use a 9×9) 3/4 full with warm water. Set on bottom oven rack while oven is preheating.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine Oreo crumbs and butter, stir to combine. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove and increase oven temperature to 350.

In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese until creamy. Add sweetened condensed milk and beat until smooth. Add sugar and flour, beat to combine.

Add eggs one at a time beating only to combine after each addition. When adding the third egg, also add the lime juice and vanilla extract; beat until combined.

Using a spatula, gently fold in the quartered Oreo cookies. Gently pour batter evenly into prebaked crust. *You can arrange Oreo cookie pieces over top of batter for a pretty presentation if desired.

Bake in preheated oven for 50-65 minutes or until edge is set and center moves slightly. Watch carefully and do not overbake. Shut oven off and allow cheesecake to cool in oven for 1-4 hours.

Run a warm knife around edge of cheesecake after 1 hour. Place in fridge to cool completely. (Remove the pan of water) Allow to chill at least 24 hours before serving for best flavor and texture.

~~~Advice from Mrs.Sac - serve with plenty of cold milk!~~~

Where's The Beef?

When I told Jamie we were having burgers for dinner, he assumed it would be our usual - beef. When I mentioned it would be turkey burgers, he was quite skeptical - I have never made them, and only recently did I use ground turkey for the first time. We had some pre-packaged turkey burgers once, and hated the taste and texture. But I thought I'd give it a whirl, along with trying a new side with burgers instead of potatoes.

We LOVED the burgers - I just threw some ingredients that I had on hand and that I thought would work well together, as well as with a fellow Nestie's recipe for Corn & Black Bean Salad. It was a wonderful, refreshing dinner for an almost 100 degree day.

Southwest Gobble-Gobble Burgers

ground turkey (I used just over half of a 1 lb package, reserved the rest for taco salad, browned and used the same seasonings)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, plus two slices for topping (if using)
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup finely sliced green onions
1/2 tsp cumin
3 tbsp freshly chopped cilantro
1 tsp Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning
2 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
sliced tomato
sliced red onion

The burgers were so moist and had so much flavor, I didn't want to overpower them with too many condiments. But I did mix a 1/4 cup of light mayo, 1/4 tsp of Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning and 1 tbsp of thinly sliced green onion, and spread it on the bun. Or a lower fat option is some fat-free ranch dressing, salsa or sour cream and salsa.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Form into two equal sized patties, pressing down slightly in the center. Grill on medium high heat for about 5-6 minutes per side. Just before removing, melt some Monterrey cheddar on top & toast the buns, and add toppings.

Corn and Black Bean Salad with Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette
Good Things Catered

(I halved the recipe)
Ingredients:
1 c. steamed or grilled sweet corn (I grilled it, I think it ads great flavor)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 large green pepper, diced
1 large red pepper, diced
1/2 large red onion, diced
1 small jalapeno, minced seeds discarded if you don't want to kill your mouth) (I used a couple of teaspoons from a can)
1 medium heirloom tomato, diced
1/4 c. olive oil
1/2 c. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
juice of 2 limes
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
lime zest from 1/2 lime
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp chili powder

Directions:
-In large bowl combine corn, black beans, peppers, onion, jalapeno, and tomato

-In heavy bottomed bowl, combine cilantro, vinegar, limes, garlic, zest, and spices.

-With large whisk, whisk quickly as you slowly drizzle in olive oil to emulsify.

-Add dressing to salad, toss, and serve. (I served with some tortilla chips)

From The Garden To The Kitchen Table

As my one of my previous blog entries have mentioned, I had a few ripe, fresh tomatoes. Plus I have plenty of fresh basil & parsley in my garden, and it is HOT in Tennessee. I love tossing tomatoes and fresh herbs with some garlic and olive oil for a light dinner, Jamie is not too fond of those dinners...he likes his pasta full of thick sauce! But he loved this dish (maybe because he was hungry later for dessert...) but he ate it, and I loved it. I have made a million variations of this dish, and I was surprised to realize I haven't blogged it yet!

Garden Fresh Tomato & Herb Pasta

1/2-3/4 lb whole wheat rotini pasta
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus a little to toss on pasta
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
a few sprigs of fresh basil and parsley, coarsely chopped
roughly 4 cups of tomatoes, chopped
1/4-1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup of Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Cook pasta according to directions, drain, and toss with just a touch of olive oil.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet and add the olive oil. Add the onion, and put the garlic on top. Saute for 2 minutes add the mushrooms, cook for another 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt & pepper and red pepper flakes and saute for another couple of minutes. Add in pasta, fresh herbs, red wine vinegar and cheese, toss and remove from heat.

Sprinkle on some more cheese if desired (of course I did!)

Soup, Salad....Hold the Breadsticks

This is my second attempt at making broccoli soup - and it went much better! I love the cheesy-broccoli soup you find at Panera-type places. In my previous attempt, I cut out way too much of the fat, it ended up being a thin, green soupy mess!

This time around, I was still able to keep out the butter and processed cheese, but by adding potatoes, a little flour and some 2% cheese & milk, I was able to yield a creamy and delicious soup.

I served it with a very quick and simple iceberg wedge salad with homemade creamy ranch dressing. Jamie looked a little puzzled, since it didn't look like a traditional salad, but it was a nice change, and he used less dressing than he normally would, since it was drizzled so nicely!

Baked-Potato & Broccoli Soup
My Recipes

Ingredients
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 (14 1/4-ounce) cans low-sodium fat-free chicken broth, divided
3 cups peeled, cubed potato (about 1 1/4 pounds)
2 cups broccoli florets, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/4 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1 (8-ounce) block 2% reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
7 teaspoons shredded 2% reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese
7 teaspoons fully cooked bacon pieces
7 teaspoons chopped green onions I omitted, didn't have any

Preparation
Whisk together flour and 1/3 cup chicken broth until smooth.
Combine remaining chicken broth and next 3 ingredients in a Dutch oven.

Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Gradually stir in flour mixture. Cook, stirring often, 5 minutes.

Stir in milk and 8 ounces shredded cheese. Cook mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until cheese melts. Top each serving of soup with 1 teaspoon cheese, 1 teaspoon bacon pieces, and 1 teaspoon chopped green onions.

Yield
Makes 7 servings (serving size: 1 cup) (serving size: 1 cup)


Iceberg Wedge Salad with Creamy Bacon Ranch Dressing

1 head of iceberg lettuce, divided in half, core removed, washed, dried
chopped tomatoes
diced red onion
a few teaspoons of bacon bits leftover from the soup
1/3 cup light mayo
3 tbsp fat free sour cream
1/4 tsp parsley
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp onion powder
1/2-1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Mix all ingredients. Sprinkle salad toppings on lettuce, and drizzle dressing.